The Ombudsman has initiated an official action before the Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid to find out the measures that may have been adopted to restore the normal functioning of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of the La Paz University Hospital as soon as possible. .
Specifically, with this action it requests that “the alleged causes that have caused this situation be addressed and the necessary measures be adopted so that this fundamental service returns to normal operation as soon as possible,” the institution reported.
Ángel Gabilondo’s office thus responds to the request for intervention made by the heads of service and section of that hospital center, who have warned about the risks entailed by the closure of the Pediatric ICU, with “significant risk for the adequate care of the patients.” patients due to the absence of pediatric intensivists” in the aforementioned Unit.
The conflict exploded a week ago with the reinstatement of Dr. Pedro de la Oliva as head of the PICU service, the second in the context of a judicialized labor conflict that has been dragging on for years. As a sign of protest, the assistant physicians who held their positions there resigned or resigned from their contracts, so that since last week, this unit has been staffed only by the aforementioned head of service and another physician.
The absence of personnel, as cited by the Ombudsman, has forced the suspension of surgical activities, the referral of patients to other hospitals; to the impact of the transplant program – La Paz being a reference center and the only one that performs all types of pediatric transplants -, and makes it difficult to maintain the teaching work of doctors in training, in addition to generating concern and discomfort among the relatives of admitted patients. .
The Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has indicated that the closure of the pediatric ICU depends on “a judicial resolution” and has insisted that the Ministry of Health is doing “everything possible so that, in the meantime, the service is provided.” “as best as possible.” This Friday, several families delivered 104,000 signatures to the Health Department of the Community of Madrid to request urgent intervention.
